How to Prepare for a Sample Class Presentation

By Nick Brieger

Introduction A presentation can be a formal talk with minimal audience interaction (at least until the end) or a more informal input with opportunities for discussion as the topic unfolds. Making sure that your students understand what is expected is a pre-requisite for making presentations work in the classroom. Teacher preparation If you are training your students to give more formal presentations, with the focus on effectiveness, it is useful to kick off with a framework, such as the one below.

What makes an effective presentation?

CONTENT quantity of information technical level of information accuracy of information

STRUCTURE organisation of information transparency of organisation

DELIVERY voice body visuals audience orientation

LANGUAGE grammar vocabulary pronunciation

Lesson development

Author: Nick Brieger Pearson Education 2009 r: Katie Jones.

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How to Prepare for a Sample Class Presentation

The above framework provides a starting point for a series of lessons to develop effective presentation skills. By thinking of these communication features as the building blocks of effectiveness, we can draw a parallel with language forms, which constitute the foundation of accuracy-based teaching. And just as we impose structure on the content of our language teaching, we can approach communication skills teaching in a similar way. Isolate the core elements, raise our learners awareness of them, practise them through controlled activities, and finally create a context for free practice in this case a presentation. Student preparation An informal explanation can be delivered impromptu. A more formal presentation, however, needs preparation. Not only of the content, but of all the elements in the above framework. Our lessons will build up our students competence in a structured way. Then we can give them a chance to show how well they can perform. However, before the free practice, they need to know (at least): what topic to speak on how long they are expected to speak what media they can use

Working with classes of adult professionals, typically in groups of six, on short (one or two week) courses I usually establish the following guidelines: choose a professional topic of interest to your audience not a technical subject that no one else will understand your maximum time is 15 minutes including questions you can choose whether to allow questions during or after the presentation use whatever media will help to support your presentation

Recording onto video or DVD is an optional extra. Student presentations I aim to space the presentations out with no more than two per day. Before each presentation session, I organise the furniture so that: there is a clear space at the front of the room for the presenter (and the equipment to be used)

Author: Nick Brieger Pearson Education 2009 r: Katie Jones.

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How to Prepare for a Sample Class Presentation

the audience are seated so that they can easily see the presenter and any visuals that will be shown Before the presentation, I spend time explaining that the audience needs to listen from two perspectives: to the content, which will hopefully be interesting to the presentation effectiveness in order to give feedback after the event

Firstly, I stress the importance of feedback vital for recognising ones strengths and weaknesses (the basis for future learning). Secondly, I explain that, when giving feedback to the presenter, we will start with the positive aspects, before moving on to the developmental areas. Finally, I join the audience, sit back and hope that by the end of the presentation both of us will have achieved our respective goals.

Author: Nick Brieger Pearson Education 2009 r: Katie Jones.

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